Old Habits Die Hard
by NashNurse
Summary: A Leopard can't change it's spots... Is that saying true? Hawkeye is determinded to find out when he discovers that Margaret has turned back into Hot Lips Houlihan
1. Chapter 1

Hey folks, this was something I though of while I was stuck in the car for hours. I wasn't planning on continuing any further, but now that I'm looking at it, it might be fun to keep it going. This probably won't be a very long story, only about five chapters... anyway, enjoy! Please R&R!

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Hawkeye looked up from his plate and surveyed the large room. Men and women danced around the room, all dressed in their finest clothes. He glanced towards the table in the back, wondering when the food would be ready. He had always hated these balls. _A gathering of pompous penguins,_ he always called it. He sighed; well it was for the children. Hawkeye was now the chief resident Doctor at an all-children's hospital in Augusta, Maine. He had helped organize this event so they could raise money for a new wing.

"Dr. Pierce, Jeremy Wellings is here." Hawkeye's secretary, Molly, whispered into his ear. Hawkeye nodded and reluctantly stood up. Jeremy Wellings was one of the main supporters of the hospital. He always donated several thousand dollars. Despite his generosity however, Hawkeye despised the man. His only interest was in money and his social standing; he was the most pompous, self-absorbed, fool he had ever laid eyes on.

As Hawkeye made his way through the dancing couples, he spotted Jeremy at the door, his pretty, blonde date hanging on his arm.

"Mr. Welling," Hawkeye greeted. Jeremy turned and extended his hand but Hawkeye froze. His eyes were glued on Jeremy's date.

"Dr. Pierce, is something wrong?" Hawkeye snapped back into attention and smiled. "Of course not," he said smoothly, shaking the man's hand, although he was cringing inwardly.

"Ben this is my fiancée, Margaret Houlihan." He said indicating the woman on his arm. Hawkeye smiled sadly and shook her hand, noticing a large diamond ring on her left hand. Margaret smiled back cattily, her eyes refusing to acknowledge their previous friendship.

"Well congratulations Jeremy, and you too Miss Houlihan." The couple nodded and Margaret began to drag Jeremy towards the dance floor.

"Dance with me Jerry," he heard her laugh gaily. Hawkeye cringed at the sound, it wasn't her real laughter he heard, it was the laugh he had heard all too often when General's had come to visit. He surveyed her as she danced in amazement. She was wearing a sleek, black dress that was cut so ridiculously low that it hardly left any room for the imagination. Her hair was curled and piled high on top of her head, a diamond necklace hugging her neck.

"Old habits die hard, Hot Lips." He mumbled quietly. "They certainly do die hard."


	2. Chapter 2

Hawkeye reluctantly parked his car in front of the large building and pulled himself out into the chilly night air. It was nearing two o'clock and when he was half way home he realized he had left his wallet, lying on a table. He jogged inside, sidestepping the caterers and band members who were packing their equipment into their vans.

He immediately noticed his wallet sitting on the small stage; he picked it up and was relieved to find everything in its place.

He wearily walked back outside and as he opened his car door he saw Margaret near tears, as a cab driver stepped out to assist her with something. Hawkeye curiously walked over to her and saw Jeremy, passed out on the concrete, Margaret struggling to get him in the cab.

Without saying a word Hawkeye hoisted the man up and laid him in the backseat. "Where are you staying?" he asked Margaret. She shook her head wearily.

"I can't remember," she sobbed. The driver looked at her curiously and then turned to Hawkeye.

"Hey mister, I know where they're from. I picked these two up from a fancy hotel in town this evening." Hawkeye smiled and handed the man some money.

"Thank you. Make sure this guy gets back alright." The driver thanked Hawkeye for his generous payment and quickly pulled out.

Margaret stared at Hawkeye in shock. "What the hell am I supposed to do?" she asked angrily.

Hawkeye returned her angry gaze and grabbed her arm. "You, Miss Houlihan, are coming home with me."

"Are you crazy?" she yelled, jerking her arm away. "I'm going back to my hotel!" Hawkeye opened the passenger door and pushed Margaret inside before walking to the other side and climbing inside.

"This is kidnapping!" she screeched. Hawkeye moaned and looked at her, all her yelling was making his head hurt terribly.

"Fine, get out. But remember that you can't even remember the name of your hotel, and there are at least thirty other hotels identical to it."

Margaret folded her arms, and leaned back into the seat, staring out the window angrily. They both remained silent until they got to Hawkeye's small house, just outside of Augusta. Hawkeye ignored Margaret completely as he walked inside. Margaret quickly hurried after him and saw him walk into his bedroom.

"What the hell did you bring me here for?" she screeched when she realized he was planning on going to bed.

"I'm going to sleep, but I plan on talking to you in the morning so don't go anywhere," was his cold reply.

Margaret sat down on an old, lumpy couch and closed her eyes tightly to keep back a flood of tears.


	3. Chapter 3

Hawkeye shuffled out of his bedroom at a little past ten o' clock. He couldn't believe how badly his head hurt. He had the strangest dreams too. He stumbled into his small kitchen and began to make himself a cup of coffee. He froze as he saw a pair of black heels kicked by the end of the sofa. He hesitantly wandered into the next room; wondering if had brought someone's secretary home with him.

He saw her mop of blonde hair, that now resembled a pile a straw, and memories of the night before came flooding back into his mind.

He felt a stab of guilt at making her sleep on his lumpy couch in nothing but her thin dress. He shuffled towards his front door and grabbed a heavy jacket from the closet.

"Margaret, wake up." He tossed the jacket on top of her and her eyes jerked open. He walked into the kitchen, and by the time he came back with two cups of coffee, she was sitting up, his jacket wrapped tightly around her shoulders.

"Don't you keep a blanket in this damn house?" she mumbled.

Hawkeye chuckled and shook his head. "For the first three months I was here, I didn't even have sheets. I was never here long enough to sleep so I figured I would save myself the trouble of going to the store."

Margaret looked around the bare apartment in disgust. "What do you have in this house?"

"Gin, whiskey, scotch; you name it, I've got it." He smiled and handed her a steaming mug of coffee. "And of course, coffee."

Margaret snatched the cup from his hand and quickly began to sip at the steaming liquid. "Where's your phone? I need to call a taxi." She stated icily.

Hawkeye glared back at her. "I said I needed to talk to you. You're not going to leave until I do."

"Damn it Hawkeye," Margaret cursed. "You practically kidnap me, and then you make me sleep on a lumpy old couch, yell at me to wake up, shove a cup of disgusting coffee at me and then tell me that I can't go home!" Margaret had been whispering instead of shouting in an attempt to spare her head; it hadn't worked and she began to massage her forehead gently.

Hawkeye sat down beside her. "Who are you Margaret?"

She looked sideways at him and frowned. "Look Hawkeye I'm in no mood to play mind games. If you have something to say to me than say it."

"Now that one was Major Houlihan." Margaret sighed in exasperation and waited for his explanation.

"There're three of you. First, I met Hot Lips. She was a real pain but she sure was fun at a party." He grinned and Margaret rolled her eyes.

"Then Hot Lips slowly turned into Major Houlihan. Who, sadly, was a real bore at parties." Hawkeye smiled sadly and shook his head. "But after a while I began to see very tiny glimpses of Margaret Houlihan." Hawkeye's voice had grown very serious and very quiet.

"I would never see her very often, but when I did she would take my breath away."

Margaret's eyes widened, and she suddenly felt extremely uncomfortable with how close she was seated to him. "I still don't see your point…"

"I'm getting there." He interrupted firmly. "I just wanted you to know that Margaret Houlihan is an amazing woman. Sure Hot Lips and Major Houlihan have their moments but they can't even hold a candle to who I really know you are."

Margaret stared at the floor uncomfortably. And Hawkeye grabbed her left hand, playing with her ring.

"When I was watching you last night I couldn't decide if you had gone back to Hot Lips or the Major. Then I realized that you're both. You're such a horrible mixture of the two that they completely block out Margaret."

"You're crazy Pierce," Margaret mumbled. Her voice was husky and she stood up, trying to avoid letting Hawkeye see her eyes that were quickly filling with tears.

"Come on, I'll drive you back to the hotel." Margaret quickly made her way to the door. Hawkeye picked his jacket off the couch and laid it back across her shoulders. They were just about to leave the house when the phone rang.

He quickly apologized before running back inside. He came back in a moment, his face white. He grabbed her hand and dragged her towards his car.

"We're going to have to stop by the hospital first."


	4. Chapter 4

Margaret looked towards Hawkeye uncomfortably. He had been deathly quiet since they had started driving, almost fifteen minutes ago.

"So," she began hesitantly. "How did you end up working at a children's hospital?"

Hawkeye shrugged. "Someone told me they needed help, so I applied."

Margaret waited for him to elaborate, but when he remained silently she sighed. "No, I mean, how did you end up working with children at all? The last I remember you couldn't stand being around kids."

Hawkeye shot her an icy glare. "Well the last you heard was almost seven years ago. A lot has happened since then."

Margaret felt a sudden, unexpected pang of guilt for not staying in touch with any of her comrades. She didn't feel like defending herself so she fell silent again, and they stayed that way all the way to the hospital. She could tell something was troubling him, but she honestly didn't think he would answer if her if she asked so she didn't bother.

Once they arrived, Margaret struggled to keep up with Hawkeye, her heels clicking noisily against the floor. They took the elevator to the fourth floor and Margaret noticed that Hawkeye seemed strangely out of character, almost scared. He took a deep breath as the doors opened and he stepped out boldly, any trace of fear instantly gone as he shrugged on a pure white lab coat.

A young nurse quickly ran up to him, a worried expression on her face. "She's not doing very well Doctor." She said breathlessly. Hawkeye stopped sighed, running his fingers though his hair as he nodded.

Margaret's mind was racing. _Was that why he was here? Did they want him to operate on a child? _Margaret felt a twinge of annoyance. She was certain the hospital had plenty of surgeons on staff. Why did Hawkeye have to perform the surgery?

"Her parents…" he began.

The nurse shook her head sadly. "They're not going to be here for at least two hours. Hawkeye nodded solemnly and began to walk down the hall, Margaret clacking after him. He slipped into a dark room and Margaret hesitated. She knew she couldn't waltz in after him, so she backed up a few steps, watching through a large window curiously as Hawkeye sat down next to a little girl, no older than ten.

"Hey Susan," he said gruffly, trying to hold back his emotions. The little girl's eyelids fluttered open, revealing flashing green eyes, contrasting her thick mane of red curls.

"I don't feel so good," she whimpered.

Hawkeye gently touched her cheek and nodded. "I know baby."

Susan used what little strength she had to push herself away from him. He looked at her curiously but then she patted the bed beside her.

Hawkeye smiled and climbed up beside her, pulling her close, so her head was resting on his chest.

"Who's the pretty lady?" she asked. Hawkeye smiled as he looked up at Margaret's form in the window.

"That's an old friend of mine." He said evasively.

"From Korea?" she asked, her interest piqued. Hawkeye chuckled; he should have known Susan would remember something like that.

Hawkeye nodded, "Yeah from Korea," he said simply.

"Are you going to marry her?" Hawkeye smiled and ran his fingers through her hair.

"Nah, she's already getting married to someone else."

"Would you marry her if you could?"

Hawkeye looked down at the child, feigning a strict attitude. "For such a sick little girl you certainly are asking a lot of questions.

"I am really sick aren't I?" she asked seriously. Hawkeye sighed and nodded.

"Yeah baby, you are."

"Am I going to die?"

Hawkeye gasped sharply, completely taken back, he didn't know what to tell the child. How is it possible to tell someone so young that they're dying?

Margaret had noticed that the duo had been talking about her and she moved towards the cracked door, in an attempt to hear their conversation.

"It's okay Doctor Pierce," she whispered. "My Grandma told me about heaven before she died. She said that it's nice there."

Hawkeye gulped down the lump in his throat and squeezed her tightly.

"What's heaven like?" she asked quietly, before erupting in a fit of coughing. Hawkeye held her close until the coughs subsided and then handed her a small glass of water which she pushed away wearily. Hawkeye relented, noting that her energy was quickly draining.

Have you ever been to the ocean?" he asked, feeling the child's head move up and down against his chest. "Well in heaven there's an ocean, but it's so clear, and so bright and clean that it looks like thousands of sparkling diamonds."

Hawkeye looked down at her and continue as he saw her smile weakly. "It's like a big city with a gate around it, but the gates aren't dirty and made of metal; they're made of giant pearls. There's streets winding though it, made of gold; and every person gets their own mansion."

"But what if I'm scared?" she whispered.

"But you won't be, baby. No one gets scared in heaven. And you won't hurt anymore either."

"Not ever?" she gasped in amazement.

"Not ever." He confirmed strongly.

"That's not so bad," she said happily before breaking of in another seizure of coughs. When it was over she whimpered and snuggled closer to him.

"I want my Mommy," she sobbed. Hawkeye stroked her back comfortingly.

"She's on her way, Susan. She'll be here."

"I hurt so bad." She whined. Hawkeye could only hold the child close and listen to her shallow breathing. Another coughing fit came on and this time the child was exhausted. Hawkeye gently played with her hair until her eyes closed wearily. Susan's breathing became more and more shallow and irregular.

Hawkeye closed his eyes tightly as he heard her take a deep breath. He held his own breath, willing her to just keep breathing. Finally he heard her take one more breath and then another, and then there was silence.

Hawkeye stood up, suddenly feeling exhausted. He adjusted the girl's tiny frame on the bed and slowly began to walk out of the room. He passed Margaret without even acknowledging her.

Margaret looked at the child's still form and tears began welling up in her eyes.


	5. Chapter 5

Margaret choked back tears and moved out of the way as two nurses entered Susan's room. Margaret took a shaky breath and looked for Hawkeye, spotting him just as he rounded the corner at the end of the long hallway. She raced after him, finally catching up to him as he talked to a nurse.

"Her parents won't be here for another hour, I'll be back before then," The nurse smiled comfortingly, placing a hand on the doctor's shoulder.

Hawkeye smiled appreciatively and then headed for the elevators. "Come on Margaret," he muttered. Margaret quickly trotted after him, her mind spinning.

He managed to stay about four paces in front of her the entire way to the car, silently forbidding her to speak. When they finally made it to the car Margaret couldn't take it anymore.

"Do you believe that? She blurted out.

Hawkeye looked at her questioningly and she explained herself.

"What you told the little girl; about heaven. Do you believe that?"

Hawkeye nodded as he pulled out of the parking lot and looked at her seriously. "Yes; I do."

"How can you? How can you look a little girl in the eyes and tell her she's dying and then turn around and tell her that it's a good thing? How can you look at her parents later on and tell them that it's a good thing their little girl was taken away from them?"

Margaret felt tears splashing onto her cheeks and she didn't bother to wipe them away. Watching Hawkeye with Susan had drudged up so many emotions from years past. Anger, resentment, loneliness, passion; all these emotions were now coursing through her body."

"I have to believe it Margaret." He replied solemnly, not at all bothered by her tears. "Did you see how she looked when she died? Yes she was hurting, but there was hope in those beautiful green eyes. Believing that there's a loving God who takes care of these little ones is the only way I can stay sane. At least, when I have to go and talk to her parents I can assure them that she isn't hurting anymore. I can assure them that she's happy."

Hawkeye looked at her directly, tears shining in his eyes. "Can't you understand that?"

Margaret sighed and nodded. "You're an amazing doctor." She mumbled. Hawkeye looked at her in surprise and she continued. "Never, in all my years of nursing, not once have I ever seen a doctor comfort a child the way you just did. She needed someone and you were there for her." Margaret paused and sighed. "That's what sets you apart from everyone else. You care; you really care. And no matter what it does to you, you will always put them first."

Hawkeye smiled slightly and reached across the seat, squeezing her hand gently.

"That means a lot to me, Margaret, especially coming from you." He pulled over and Margaret looked out the window I surprise, they were in front of a large hotel, Margaret recognized it as the one she was staying at.

A bellhop ran to the car and opened the door for her. Hawkeye grabbed her hand again.

"Margaret, I just want you to know that if you ever find yourself alone, I'll be there for you." She smiled appreciatively and began to pull away, but Hawkeye kept his grip.

"I'm sorry for forcing you to come with me last night. I just want to make sure that you'll be happy."

He released his hand and Margaret stepped out of the cab. "I really do think I'll be happy, Hawkeye."

He smiled as she shut the door. "Margaret," he shouted through the open window. She turned and he looked at her apprehensively. "Just know that if you ever need a friend, or more, I'll always be there for you. Always; do you understand?"

Margaret nodded, tears springing to her eyes again.

"I love ya Major Baby." He shouted as he drove off. Margaret turned and faced the large hotel, glancing at her ring for the first time with uncertainty. She took a deep, shaky breath and walked through the revolving door.


	6. Chapter 6

"Hi, I was wondering if you could do me a favor." Margaret nervously approached a young boy at the desk. He nodded absentmindedly waiting for her to continue.

"My fiancé is upstairs; do you think you could give him a note for me?"

"Sure thing," the boy's curiosity was piqued and he scooted a pad of paper towards her and handed her a pen. Margaret hurriedly scribbled out a note and began to reread it. She bit her lip and turned the pad around, facing the young man.

"Can you read this?" she asked. The man looked at her curiously and began to read the note aloud. He made it to the third word before he began squinting at the letters.

"Sorry Ma'm, I can't read your writing."

Margaret rolled her eyes in annoyance of both having to rewrite the note, and the boy calling her _Ma'm. _She carefully copied the note and then stuffed the first one into her purse.

"Here," she said, handing the boy the note. "I can't really remember our room number. Do you think you could look that up for me?"

"Of course, what name is the room booked under?"

"Welling, Jeremy Welling."

The boy's head jerked up in surprise. "You're Mr. Welling's fiancée?"

Margaret nodded and the young man jumped up nervously. "Oh gee, Ma'm, they've been looking everywhere for you."

Margaret smiled slightly; the boy's nervous excitement reminded Margaret so much of a corporal she hardly remembered.

"Just wait until I tell them I've found you," he mumbled to himself. "Maybe they'll promote me…or maybe…" The boy began to walk off and Margaret quickly grabbed his arm.

"Just a minute," she said sternly. "Read the note I gave you." The boy looked down at the piece of paper in his hand and his eyes widened.

"Oh," he muttered disappointedly.

Margaret smiled consolingly and shrugged. "I need to leave Maine as quickly as possible, and I don't want anyone following me. Do you think you can give this to Mr. Welling in about two hours?

The young man nodded and Margaret turned to leave, but a nagging question made her pause.

"How long are you going to be here?"

"I'm here until late tonight Ma'm"

"Okay, give me the number of the hotel and I'll call you later to ask how he reacted." Margaret began to chew her bottom lip nervously. "Is that alright?"

"Of course," he scribbled down the number and Margaret stuffed into her purse.

"Thank you so much." She said sincerely, whishing she had a way to thank the young man, she didn't have any money with her.

"Do you have a girlfriend?" she asked. The boy eyed her somewhat suspiciously.

"I have a fiancé." He replied curtly.

"Have you given her a ring?"

He stiffened considerably, and squared his shoulders. "Not quite yet," he replied curtly.

Margaret rolled her eyes, men could act so idiotic. "Give her this," Margaret offered, slipping off her engagement ring and laying it on the desk. "Or just cash it in and pick out something she'd like better."

The young man stared at her in speechless delight. Margaret waved away his attempted gratitude and quickly walked out of the hotel and climbed into a waiting taxi.

* * *

Hawkeye pulled himself into his car and leaned back in the seat. He felt exhausted. With the combination of the party, the booze, Margaret, and the little girl, Hawkeye didn't think his day could get any worse. He had just finished talking to Susan's parents. That was the thing he hated most about his job. A child dying was horrible, but in his mind having to tell their parents far outweighed anything else.

Hawkeye sat up and started his car, driving slowly towards a small diner down the street. He hurried inside as small snowflakes began to fall. Hawkeye mumbled a curse over the freezing whether and seated himself at a small booth and ordered a cup of coffee.

As he sat by the frosted window, his eyes traveled towards the pay phone. He wondered what Margaret was doing by this time. He shook his head, trying to get her off his mind. Wondering about her wasn't going to do anything.

After four cups coffee, Hawkeye finally stood up and walked across the diner to the phone.

"Operator, connect me to that ritzy hotel on Fifth St and Weston." He paused and sighed. "Yeah, that's the one."

A boy's panicked voice came over the line. "Hello, you've reached…"

"Is Jeremy Welling still there?" Hawkeye asked impatiently.

The boy groaned slightly. "I keep telling you people that he went home hours ago."

Hawkeye frowned, wondering what the kid was talking about. "Oh I see, did Miss Houlihan leave with him?"

The boy gave an exasperated sigh. "If she was with him do you think he would have left?"

Hawkeye raised his eyebrows at the boy's aggravated tone. What was the matter with the kid?

"Well are you certain she isn't there, I really need to talk with her." The boy replied that he had seen her leave. "Well where did she go? I need to talk with her!"

The boy sighed wearily. "Look sir, she left around noon. She gave me a note and told me to give it to Mr. Welling. That's all I know."

Hawkeye sighed unhappily and hung up the phone.


	7. Chapter 7

Arg, yeah, so this was supposed to be my last chapter, but I got a bit carried away with the old lady's advice. So unless the same thing happens again there should only eight chapters. I hope you enjoy it!

Major-Baby

* * *

Margaret pulled into the parking lot of a small diner in upstate Vermont. It was nearing seven o'clock and she still wasn't certain where she was headed. She shivered as she climbed out of her car. As she headed inside she looked around for a clothing store, she really needed a change of clothes.

"Where's a payphone?" Margaret asked a waitress, who was busy juggling five plates. The woman nodded towards the back of the room and Margaret hurried around the crowded tables.

She dropped in a few coins and pulled out the crumpled sheet of paper with the hotel's number on it. Margaret pulled Hawkeye's coat more tightly around her, she had forgotten to give it back earlier. She blushed slightly at the stares she was receiving as a result of her wrinkled evening gown and tangled hair.

"Hello this is…"

"Is this Samuel Matthews?" Margaret interrupted.

"Oh," the boy sighed deeply. "Hello Miss Houlihan."

"Well," she began impatiently. "What did he say?" Margaret closed her eyes, silently praying that Jeremy didn't act irrationally.

"It's been a nightmare ever since he got that note Ma'm." Margaret groaned, she should have known better.

"Mr. Welling wants to make sure that I get fired, I don't know what I'm going to do if I lose this job." He whined. "He's making a big deal about it, insisting that it's some kidnapping plot and I'm a part of it." The boy was obviously miserable and Margaret felt a large pang of guilt for involving him.

"I'll call him and settle everything." Margaret said quietly.

"I sure would appreciate it Ma'm." He responded gratefully. "Oh, Miss Houlihan, some guy called for you. I didn't catch his name but he seemed pretty worried about you."

Margaret smiled, she knew who had called. "Thank you Samuel; and don't worry, I'll settle everything with Mr. Welling."

The boy said thank you once again and Margaret hung up the phone and then began to dial an all-too-familiar number.

A man answered the phone harshly and Margaret sighed. "Hello Jeremy." She said quietly.

"Good God, Margaret, baby, are you alright?"

Margaret rolled her eyes. "Did Samuel give you my note?"

There was silence on the other end of the line and for a moment, Margaret wondered if he had hung up.

"So you did write it?" Margaret replied that she had and Jeremy cursed loudly.

"What did I do wrong Margaret? I could have given you all you ever wanted!" Margaret smiled sadly and shook her head

"No Jeremy, you couldn't have. A friend helped me realize that you couldn't give me what I want the most." She paused and took a shaky breath. "I need someone who loves me, Jeremy. Someone who really cares about me and is willing to…"

"Baby, I do care about you." He interrupted.

"No Jeremy," Margaret replied harshly. "Now I trust that you will stop this nonsense about the boy who gave you the note?"

Jeremy mumbled another curse and Margaret hung up the phone.

She sighed heavily and sunk into an empty booth. She was exhausted; all she wanted to do was take a hot shower and crawl into a warm bed and cry herself to sleep. A waitress slipped a cup of coffee in front of her and Margaret shook her head.

"No thank you, I don't have any money with me." She said in embarrassment. The elderly woman slipped into the seat across from her.

"That's alright, dear. You look like you could use it." She leaned back against in the booth and closed her eyes for a moment. "Do you mind if I join you?" she asked as she straightened herself up. "I have a fifteen minute break."

Margaret smiled and shook her head. The woman licked her lips nervously and smiled. "You know, dear, I couldn't help but overhear your conversation."

Margaret stiffened considerably, her mouth open slightly as she tried to decide what to say.

"Please don't be mad with me, darling," the woman begged. "It's just that I've been in the same situation before and I thought I would be able to give you a bit of comfort."

Margaret sighed; she didn't feel like talking about what she was going through, it was hard enough to keep herself from crying without talking about it.

"Listen, in my younger years I was so consumed about looking perfect, acting prim and proper and marring well. I came from a poor family and all I wanted was to get out of our small town, marry a millionaire and live in a mansion somewhere in upper state New York."

Margaret smiled slightly, as a girl she had often daydreamed about that very thing.

The woman's smile faded and she leaned back. "I almost got my wish." She said quietly.

"What happened?" Margaret asked, before blushing at her over eagerness.

"Thank god I had a few good and faithful friends who made me realize how miserable I would be if I went through with my marriage."

Margaret nodded and wearily rubbed at her eyes. "I guess you do know what I'm going through."

"Sweetheart, just know that you'll never regret it. Some days you may begin to feel a bit lonely, but the joys that you'll experience by just being yourself will far outweigh those hard times."

Margaret looked around the diner and chuckled cynically. "Well, this certainly is no mansion."

The woman laughed and shook her head. "No dearie, it isn't. But I ended up marrying one of those friends who had helped me through those tough times." She sighed and smiled sadly. "Robert passed away a few years back, but we had fifty-three wonderful years together."

Margaret slipped her hand across the table and squeezed the woman's hand. "Thank you," she whispered.

The woman nodded and stood up. "I have to get back to work, but just remember that in the end, you'll never regret doing this. You just need friends around you right now, honey; people who really and truly care for you."

Margaret nodded and began to make her way outside. Once she was inside her car she closed her eyes tightly. She couldn't get the woman's words out of her ears. _You need friends right now. _Those few simple words had triggered so many emotions. Margaret wanted to burst into tears, but she refused herself that comfort. _Friends…_ What had Hawkeye said? _If you ever need a friend…or more…_

Margaret opened her eyes and took a shaky breath as she started her car. She knew exactly where she was going, but what to do once she got there was another story entirely.


	8. Chapter 8

Hawkeye sighed wearily as he pulled himself into his car. He stared at his steering wheel, wondering if he was fit to drive. After dropping Margaret off he returned to the hospital to meet with Susan's parents. Hawkeye shook his head, trying to clear it of the painful memories of the day. The glasses of scotch hadn't helped at all.

He started the engine, not really caring if he would crash or not. Snow began to fall as he made his way out of the crowded parking lot. His eyes began to feel extremely heavy and he pulled off to the side of the road.

He cursed loudly, slamming his fist into the steering wheel, the noise attracting several glances. Hawkeye jerked on his coat and hat and stepped out of his car, the freezing December air quickly sobering him.

He shivered and pulled the collar around his neck. He glanced into the brightly lit windows as he passed them. The storekeepers were all preparing for Christmas which was only seeks away. Colorful lights hung from the windows and cheerily decorated trees stood in every window.

Hawkeye smiled slightly as he saw a little girl, no older than ten with her face pressed up against the window pane of a pet shop. He walked over to her, wondering what she was looking at.

"Oh she's a cutie," he said to the child as he saw a tiny white and black border collie puppy, a red bow tied around her neck.

"She needs a good home," she moaned. Hawkeye smirked and leaned his back against the window.

"Well, maybe you should tell your parents and maybe Santa will buy her for your Christmas present."

The little girl shook her head sadly. "No, mommy said that Santa won't bring her because my Daddy's allergic." She frowned, trying to think of a way to get the puppy and then looked up at Hawkeye hopefully.

"Maybe you can buy her" she suggested happily. "Then she won't be lonely anymore."

Hawkeye laughed and shook his head. "Sorry, missy, I'm not a big fan of pets."

She crossed her arms and watched him suspiciously. "But she's so cute," she argued. Hawkeye chuckled again and was about to reply when a tall woman approached them.

"Carrie, what have I told you about talking to strangers?" she hissed at the child.

"I'm sorry Mommy," she mumbled. Hawkeye felt annoyed that the child should suffer when he was the one that had approached the girl.

"Now apologize to this man for wasting his time," the woman grabbed onto Carrie and shook her shoulder harshly. "Go on, apologize."

Hawkeye smiled gently and shook his head. "No, no, it's quite alright. I was just getting some advice from your daughter on what I should buy for Christmas." Hawkeye winked at the small girl and she smiled. "I think I'll follow her advice." Hawkeye tipped the brim of his hat slightly and made his way towards the entrance of the store.

_What could it hurt? He needed some form of company to keep him from going crazy, and he had wanted to stick up for the little girl. _Hawkeye grabbed the attention of a sales clerk and announced that he would like to buy the dog. A half hour later he emerged with the puppy on a leash, and several bags full of food, treats, and toys.

"Well, missy, it looks like it's just you and me." He said, talking to the puppy as he made his way down the streets, heading for his home. It took almost an hour for him to reach his home. He wearily made his way inside, cursing as he noticed he had left his door unlocked in his rush to leave that morning.

He walked inside but the puppy pulled back, growling at carved pumpkin, Hawkeye still hadn't gotten around to removing. Hawkeye laughed and scooped the dog up. "Oh, come on, it doesn't look that bad." The puppy licked his face and Hawkeye rolled his eyes.

"Well, well, we've got hot lips do we?" Hawkeye chuckled to himself shaking his head. "What do you think of that name?" he asked the puppy. The dog licked him in response and Hawkeye laughed. "Well, I guess we have an answer; Hot Lips it is."

The puppy continued licking Hawkeye's face as they walked through the house. The light was on in the kitchen and he groaned in irritation, there was more than one thing he forgot to do as he left that morning.

Hawkeye sat the puppy down on the floor and it began to excitedly sniff the carpet. "Come on Hot Lips," he called as he walked towards the sink. He grabbed two new dog bowels from one of his bags and began to fill the first one with water.

Hawkeye sat the bowl down on the floor and filled the second bowl with dry dog food, as he whistled for the dog. He turned around, wondering what she was up to and he jumped in surprise as he saw Margaret bent over, stroking the puppy's soft fur. He took a step backwards and accidentally backed into the full water dish, cursing loudly as the water sloshed inside his shoe.

Hawkeye blinked in shock as he slipped off his wet shoe, staring at the kitchen table. "What on earth are you doing here?"

Margaret smiled slightly, and sat up straight, pulling the puppy onto her lap. "Sorry, I didn't mean to startle you." She apologized, avoiding the subject.

Hawkeye mad his way to the table and sat across from Margaret, his mouth still hanging open. "I tried to call you," he began, a puzzled frown on his face.

Margaret cringed as he leaned towards her. "You've been drinking," she accused sternly.

Hawkeye rolled his eyes. "Wouldn't you if you had to tell a couple that their little girl died, and on the same day some crazy woman waltzes in and out of your life?"

Margaret ducked her head slightly, her messy hair, hiding her face. And then back in again." She whispered quietly.

Hawkeye sighed and reached across the table for her hand. "Why are you here?" he prodded gently.

Margaret allowed him to hold her hand and smiled softly. "You said if I ever needed a friend…" she shrugged uncomfortably, trying to decide what to say. He wasn't making this easy for her. "And you said if I was ever alone…" Margaret closed her eyes, trying to control her emotions; she hated feeling so out of control.

"I am alone," she mumbled, looking straight into his eyes. "But I don't want to be."

Hawkeye stood up, his face not showing any emotion at all. He held out his hands, helping Margaret to her feet, much to the dislike of the dog. "Why did you leave him?" he asked seriously. His intense gaze made Margaret shiver. She had never seen him quite this serious before.

"Because he wouldn't make me happy." She responded with certainty.

"What would make you happy?" Still he showed no sign of emotion and Margaret shifted uncomfortably; _where was he headed with this?_

"Someone who loves me enough to want me to be happy, even if it's not with him." Margaret raised her eyebrows wonderingly; _would he take the hint? _

"Well you already have that, so you should be happy." Hawkeye squeezed her hand and then let her go, as he shuffled towards the bedroom.

Margaret's mouth dropped open as anger boiled up inside. She cursed under her breath and sat down heavily ad she heard his bedroom door shut. She looked down at the puppy, who was watching her hopefully, wanting a bit of attention.

"What's wrong with him?" Margaret asked aloud, causing the dog to cock its head in confusion.

She picked the puppy up, running her fingers through its silky fur. "Well at least I have a good friend, right?" she asked the dog. Margaret smiled slightly, recalling Hawkeye's new name for the puppy.

"He gave you a rotten name, do you know that?" Margaret chewed on her bottom lip thoughtfully and then smiled.

"Judith; that's what I'll call you."

"What kind of rotten name is that?" Margaret's head jerked up at Hawkeye's voice. He was leaning casually against the doorframe, dressed in his tuxedo.

"That was Hawkeye's lover," she responded quickly.

Hawkeye shook his head. "It was not!"

Margaret smiled, and nodded defiantly. "Don't you read? It was in the Deerslayer; the book before _The Last of the Mohicans_. Judith was constantly chasing after Hawkeye, just like this one will be," Margaret said indicating the puppy who had climbed off her lap, and was contentedly lying on top of Hawkeye's foot.

Hawkeye shrugged. "Well, fine, but it's still a rotten name." Margaret stood up and leaned against the opposite side of the entryway.

"So where are you going hot shot?" She teased, hoping he wouldn't catch the small twinge of hurt in her eyes.

Hawkeye held his arm out to her and smiled. "I was just going to take my best girl into the living room for a dance."

Margaret's mouth dropped open and she smiled helplessly. "Well I suppose that wouldn't do any harm. I mean it's not as if we aren't getting along anymore." Margaret realized she was rambling but she just couldn't help herself.

"We're still friends, right. I mean, just because I decided not to marry Jeremy, nothing has to change, right? Because really…"

Hawkeye stopped her abruptly as he leaned over and kissed her mouth softly. "You're wrong," he whispered. "We aren't just friends anymore, and everything has to change."

Margaret's mouth dropped open and she shook her head. "No, Hawk, please," she pleaded. "I don't want to lose touch with you, I want to…to…" As Margaret stumbled over her words she missed the distinctive twinkle in Hawk's eyes.

"Marry me?" he finished for her, somewhat teasingly. "Is that what you want?" Margaret blushed hotly and Hawkeye smiled.

"Well that will be alright I suppose," he continued in feigned exasperation.

Margaret took a shaky breath and looked up him. "You said you would be there for me if I needed a friend _or more_," she said, stressing the last two words. "Did you really mean that?"

"I'm not in the habit of lying to women who outranked me." He said, grinning from ear to ear.

"That in itself is a rotten lie," she countered. "I can count the times on one hand when you've been honest with me."

Hawkeye shrugged, "Well then I guess I'll have to leave it up to your judgment." Hawkeye leaned down and kissed her again, softly at first but it quickly deepened as he pulled her as close as possible.

As he broke the kiss, Margaret began to laugh softly. "I think you meant it," she whispered. Hawkeye's smile grew and he pulled her closer.

"I'm glad you think so."

Margaret laid her head on his chest and sighed deeply. "This is all I want," she mumbled. "You're all I want."

Hawkeye pulled her head upward again, kissing her forehead gently. "That can be arranged."

-The End-

* * *

Yay! I finally finished! I hope you all enjoyed the story. I know I've been bad about updating this one, but I'm moving in ten days, so I've been extremely busy. Thanks for all your patience and your wonderful reviews!!!

Major-Baby


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